Marc Dwyer, better known as Buzz Kull, is an Australian artist who has been crafting a sound that straddles the line between isolation and connection—music that hits you “directly in the chest” while exploring the darker corners of human experience. Read more below, as an intro to his performance on May 21st.

Have you ever tried to write something completely out of your genre, just for fun or as an experiment?
Over the past year, I’ve been asked to record some covers for compilation releases. The selection of tracks I can choose from is sometimes limited and often beyond the usual style I lean towards. For example, I’ve covered a country song by Merle Haggard and a slow love song by Savage Garden.
At first, I was concerned about the outcome, but over time it’s become a nice way to break out of the regular routine or framework I was locked into.
While working on these covers alongside new material for my upcoming album, I’ve noticed the development of new styles and concepts that I still believe fall within the Buzz Kull sound. These tracks feature different rhythmic patterns but can still be portrayed as dark and danceable.

What’s the most unusual non-musical inspiration that’s directly influenced a track (e.g., an article, a memory, a scent, architecture)?
The first one that comes to mind is a track from the last record called Man On The Beat. It was written with the memory of the first time I drove around the coastal roads in Malibu. It’s not tied to any particular story from that day—just the visual imagery and the location itself.
Otherwise, there are always memories that link to my work, and unfortunately, they often come from feelings of sadness or anger toward people treating others poorly.

What’s the most low-tech tool or method you still rely on in your creative process?
If I’m on the road and writing new music, I’ll still use the MacBook keyboard as a MIDI synth. I don’t use a contemporary keyboard with those capabilities in my live show, so I have to use what’s readily available. I also still use the little microphone attached to Apple headphones. I’ve been using all of these for years when recording.
Sometimes I’ll change the room or environment I’m in to see if it sparks anything new in my brain or ears—just by picking up my computer and listening to tracks directly from my MacBook speakers.

Is there something you’re deliberately not doing in your music right now—and why?
If there are bass sounds or tones that I’ve heard in many contemporary songs, I try to avoid using anything that comes too close, in order to keep my work and sound within its own realm.

Tell us about your favorite performance in your career.
All of the recent shows in the U.S. with Cold Cave have been wonderful—it’s hard to choose just one. But others that come close are the shows I’ve played with Spike Hellis. They work so hard and push a lot of boundaries, which inspires me to push the live show to its greatest potential.

“Fascination” marks a shift towards a more club-oriented sound. What inspired this evolution, and how did you approach blending EBM, new beat, and synthpop elements?
I wanted the tracks to sound big and hit you directly in the chest from the audience’s perspective. I wrote them with a vague idea of how they would be perceived and heard in the kind of dark, underground clubs I tend to play in.

Your music often explores themes of isolation and introspection. Are there any personal experiences or literary works that have significantly influenced these themes?
Always. The world has been draped in a blanket of sadness for years, and it’s hard to write from a positive perspective. I try not to write in a way that wallows in misery, but rather to empower listeners to see another day.

You cited influences like Front 242, Cabaret Voltaire, and Depeche Mode. How do these artists inspire your work, and do you draw from any non-musical sources?
All of these bands are, and forever will be, the blueprint for these styles of music. You can write a track with a drum machine and a synthesizer without even thinking of these artists, and still find that something in your brain adds a hook or drum fill that comes from their originality.
As for non-musical sources, there’s always something—whether it’s architecture, films, or moods drawn from day-to-day life—that feeds into the creative process.

What music or bands are you listening to?
In the past few months, I’ve been diving into the early discography of the Pet Shop Boys, and exploring classic European synthpop artists like Deux, Secret Service, and Desireless.
I’ve also been working hard to break out of my usual drum and percussion structures. Listening to Spike Hellis has inspired me to try some freaky things I wouldn’t normally consider.

What is the most unusual venue/place where you’ve performed?
There have been quite a few places that felt out of the ordinary for me, especially since I don’t often get to experience events held on boats, in old churches, castles, underground bunkers, or wine cellars back home in Australia.
Nothing feels too unusual anymore, since I’ve done them all now, but I do recall how different it felt the first time around.

Anita Ulovec